Development and evaluation of a Beacon-based indoor positioning and navigating system for the visually impaired

摘要

According to the reports of a NGO-World Blind Union in 2017, approximately 253 million people have visual impairment. Besides, the statistics of Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare also reported that the number keep growing in these two decades. Therefore, how to assist them to have better daily life experiences will be a significant issue. The purposes of this study were designing and constructing a guidance system in order to assist them to know their spatial position and further to guide them to arrive their destination. In this system, the researchers used the integration of smartphone, wearable devices and iBeacon technique to achieve the purpose of guide. Furthermore, this system allowed caregivers to contact the visually impaired and know their real-time circumstances through the internet in order to enhance their sense of security in unfamiliar indoor environment. For system evaluation, the researchers adopted a SUMI questionnaire suitable for evaluating the usability of the system through users' feedbacks. According to the research survey, this system can provide the visually impaired with a safer indoor guidance in order to improve their ability and confidence in independent walking.